Pneumatic rammer.



No. 688.252. Patented Dec. 3, |901.

J. KELLER. PNEUMATIC HAMMER.

(Anpliction led July 10, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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l T l l .nqq l .WAN HWMIMIINMW IH -l @mmv UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

JULIUS KELLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PHILADELPHIA PNEUMATIC TOOL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

PNEUMATIC RANllVlER.

SPECIFICA'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,252, dated December 3, 1901- Application filed J'uly 10,1901. Serial No. 67,711. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUs KELLER, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Rammers, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention consists of an improved construction of a pneumatic rammer having a piston therein provided with an integral piston rod or extension and means for preventing said rod and piston from turning in the cylinder of said rammer, the interior of said rammer being also provided With means normally out of contact with the piston for retaining the piston at or near the rear extremity of the cylinder when not in use.

It also consists in providing the cylinder of the rammer on one side with a grasping-handle having a thumb, finger, or hand operated lever adapted to control the inlet of the m0- tive iluid, Whichlatterpasses through the Wall of the cylinder and after being utilized to reciprocate the piston and actuate the distribution-valve passes outwardly through a suitable portion of a second grasping-handle attached to said cylinder opposite to said rstmentioned handle.

It also consists of the novel combination of a pneumatic-tool cylinder or casing, eXtensions projecting therefrom, and grasping-handles mounted on said extensions and projecting rearwardly therefrom in substantial alinement with the axis of said casing.

It also consists of a novel arrangement and location of a hollow differential or other distribution-valve employed and in the novel arrangement of coacting ports com mon to said piston and valve.

It also consists of a novel construction of a sectional valve-box and of a novel arrangement of the ports and passages therein.

It further consists of novel details of construction, all as will be hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view of a pneumatic rammer embodying my invention, certain of the parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 represents a sectional View of the ralnmcr seen in Fig. 1, the section being taken on a different plane from that seen in Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a perspective View of the spring-clamp or pistonretainingdeviceemployed. Figtrepresents,

on a reduced scale, a perspective view of Fig.

1. Fig. 5 represents a sectional View showing the location of the exhaust-ports.

-Similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates my pneumatic rammel', having the cylinder 2, Within which reciprocates the piston 3, which is preferably a solid piece of metal having integral therewith the hexagonal or otherpolygonal shaped rod or extension It, which extends through the front end 5 of said cylinder and is tapered at its extremity to hold the stamper 6.

7 designates a gland having a polygonal opening therethrough corresponding to the contour of the extension 4, the latter passing .through the packing 8, which is held in position by said gland, While the latter is retained in position by thel jam-nut 9.

10 designates a recess in the rear portion of the cylinder2 and slightly larger than the bore of said cylinder, wherein is contained the spring-clamp or piston-retainer 11, the latter consisting of a split ring, into Which the piston is adapted to be pushed when at rest, whereby said clamp will hug said piston and retain. and sustain the latter when not in use in its uppermost position.

12 designates the differential distributionvalve, Which is structurally similar to the distribution-valve described and claimed in my prior patent, No. 647,415, granted to me April 10, 1900, although the location of the ports and passages herein and their coaction With the distribution-valve in my present invention diiers materially from any prior patents granted to me,as Will be hereinafterexplained. The valve 12'is contained Within the ValveboX, consisting of the front and rear sections 13 and 14, respectively, which are held in position by the valve-box cover 15, which is in 9 threaded engagement at its forward portion with the contiguous end of the cylinder 2, said valve-box cover being locked, 1n posi- Y tion by the jam-nut 16.

17 designates an oiling device, which can ICO be located in either of the positions seen in Fig. 1 or Fig. '2, in which latter figure I have shown the cylinder as provided witha single handle 18, having the inlet-passage 19, into which the motive fluid is conducted past the throttle-*valve 20, which islocated in the bushing21 and held in position bythe latch .22, ,said throttle-valve being held in position by the spring 23 and being operated by the lever 24. In some instances it will be found to be necessary or expedient to provide the cylinder 2 with two handles, as seen in Fig. 1, wherein 25 designates the inlet-handle, which is constructed substantially as seen in Fig. 2, and 26 designates the exhaust-handle, through the lower portion of which the exhaust passes to the atmosphere v passage e27. Y-

The motive fluid passes to the interior of the hollow distribution-valve 12 either through thepassage 19, as seen in Fig. 2,or else through the inlet-passage 28, when the construction seen in Fig. l is employed, the .motive fluid entering the valve-box through the port 29-in each instance. It will be noted t-hat the distribution-valve is hollow land has fluid-pressure constantly acting on the interior thereof, and when the parts are in the position seen kinfFig. 1 the piston 3 is near or at the end of its `back-ward stroke, and the port 30 isopen ttofadlnit thepressure (which has driven said piston backward or to the right) into the passage. 31 andl thence 'to the port 32, (best seen in Fig. 2;) at which point the pressure acts on 'the large pressure area 33 ofthe valve 12 .and moves the latter into theposition seen in .-Fig. 1.

The port 34 is now connected through thegroove '35 on the outside of -the valve 12 4with the exhaust-port 36, and the pressure from the front end of the-piston will exhaust ,through the port-37, passage 38, port 34, past groove 35`to port v36, to the passage 27, (in Fig.

1)!to the atmosphere, it being understood in lthe construction seen in Fig. v2 the exhaust 4passes from the port 36 through the port 39 tothe fatmosphere. The piston 3 is driven 'forwardly or to the left of the position seen inFig. 1 when the valve 12 is in the position seen therein by the admission of motive fluid through the interior of the valve to the port 40 -andpassage 41 to the rear or right-hand 4end of said piston.

42 :designates a very small auxiliary livealfr-,port,-wh1ch connects the main live-air v.port-with the large pressure area 33 of the .valve 12, so that it will be seen that when live-'fluid pressure enters the port 40 and passage 41 to'drive the piston 3 forwardly live- 'air pressure at the same time will enter said auxiliary port 42 and hold the valve 12 in the iposition seen in Fig. 1 until said piston in its vforward stroke opens port 43 on passage 31 `an'dalso exhaust-port 44, which latter is sub- The pres- Valve 12 is now released, and the latter through the through the constant pressure on its small pressure area 45 is forced forwardly to the position seen in Fig. 2, thus opening the port 46, which is also connected with the passage 41' for exhaust, as best shown in Fig. 2. The piston is returned from the position seen in Fig. 2 to the position seen in Fig. 1 by the admission of live air through the port 34, passage 38, and port 37. The exhaust from the back end of the cylinder takes place through the passage 41, port 46, and passages 36 and`27 in the construction seen in Fig. 1,

while in the construction seen in Fig. 2, where the handle is at the end of the cylinder, the air will exhaust through the passage 41, port 46, port 36, and main exhaust 39.

It will be apparent that slight changes may be made in the location and arrangement of the ports which coact with the piston and distribution-valve without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I reserve to myself the right to make all such modiiications as fall within the scope thereof.

The stamper 6 can be of any suitable -shape or contour and can be attached to the rod or extension 4 by any convenient means,'and in order that said stamper may be in absolute control of the operator said piston rod, on which the stamper is fastened, is made-so as not toturn in the cylinder, said rod being shown in the present instance as of hexagonal lshape in cross-section, although any other polygonal shape may be employed if desired.

I desire to -especially emphasize thefunction of the spring-clamp or piston-retainer 11 in the rear end of the cylinder 2, since when the tool is not in operation the piston can be pushed all the way back into said clamp and will beheld there until air is again applied or admitted to the piston. By this expedient the rod or extension 4, which is ordinarily about twelve inches long, is contained when not in use for the greater part of the length within its cylinder and is thus prevented from injury, whereas without the piston-retaining device the weight of the stampe-r and piston would tend to move the same outwardly, and the rod 4 would be exposed to injury and be liable to be damaged, as is evident. So far as I am aware I am the irst to employ any device within the rear portion of a piston-cylinder in tools of this character for mechanically or otherwise retaining a piston in substantially the manner described Within the rear extremity of itspiston-chalnber when the supply of motive fluid is cut off from the cylinder or when the tool is not in use, and my claims to this feature are therefore to be regarded as of corresponding scope.

For small-sized'rammers the construction seen in Fig. 2 ispreferable, where but a single handle is employed; but for the larger size of rammers, which are of such weight that they must be operated with two hands, the construction seen in Fig. 1 is preferable, the operator holding the tool with one hand IOO IIO

on the inlet-handle and the other on the eX- haust-handle, whereby the tool can be readily manipulated.

I desire to emphasize the peculiar advantages attained by the novel assemblage in a single structure of the means for preventing the improper rotation of the piston, eXtension, and stamper, which I have arranged in cooperative relation to the device for retaining these parts when not in use Within the cylinder, the cooperation of the means for preventing rotation of the piston, extension, and stamper with the pair of grasping-handles being also apparent, since, as is well known to those skilled in this art, the stam per must be manipulated so as to be applied during the ramming of the sand at the particular points in the foundry desired, and in order to enable the workman to handle the rammer with the desired facility it is necessary that a plurality of handles arranged substantially as shown be provided for this purpose, as is evident.

I desire to lay especial emphasis on the advantages of my invention, since before the piston 3 reaches its extreme left-hand position the valve will move in the same direction, and when the blow7 is delivered the valve is on the left-hand side, the blow instead of rebounding the valve from its seat tending to hold said valve more firmly seated, since the momentum or slight forward movement imparted to the tool-cylinder when said blow is struck must simultaneously impart a slight forward movement to the valve, since the latter and said piston move in the same direction, all the ports being open at the right time, and the regular and uniform movement ofthe valve, and consequently of the piston, is unobstructed, whereby jumping, jarring, and other objectionable features of pneumatic tools now is use are practically overcome.

It will be apparent that slight changes may be made by those skilled in the art which will come within the scope of my invention, and I do not therefore desire to be limited in every instance to the exact construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate within said cylinder and means Within said cylinder and normally out of contact with said piston for retaining the latter when not in use at or near the rear end of said cylinder.

2. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate within said cylinder and means within said cylinder near the rear f end thereof for retaining said piston when not in use at or near the rear end of said cylinder, said means being normally out of contact with said piston.

3. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder', a piston adapted to reciprocate within said cylinder and a spring-clamp within said cylinder and adapted to engage said piston and retain the latter when not in use near the rear end of said cylinder.

4. In a-pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate within said cylinder,a polygonal extension integral with said piston, a polygonal opening in front of said cylinder through which said extension passes, packing contained within the front end of said cylinder, a gland also seated Within said cylinder, said gland and packing having openings therethrough, corresponding to the contour of said extension, and means for locking said gland in position.

5. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston adapted to reciprocate within said cylinder, an extension integral with said piston, and a stamper attached to said extension in combination with means within said cylinder for retaining said piston when not in use near the rear end of said cylinder.

6. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston therein, a polygonal extension integral with said piston, a polygonal' opening in the forward end of said cylinder, packing contained within said cylinder through which said extension passes, a gland secured against said packing, a polygonal opening in said gland, through which said extension passes, and a jam-nut for holding said gland in position.

7. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston thereon, a polygonal extension integral with said piston, a polygonal opening in the forward end ot` said cylinder, packing contained within said cylinder through which said extension passes, a gland secured against said packing, a polygonal opening in said gland, through which said extension passes, and a jam-nut for holding said gland in p0- sition, in combination with a stamper attached to said extension.

8. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston thereon, a polygonal extension integral with said piston, a polygonal opening in the forward end of said cylinder, packing through which said extension passes, a gland secured against said packing, a polygonal opening in said gland, through which said extension passes, and a jam-nut for holding said gland in position.

9. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, and a spring-clamp Within said cylinder adapted to engage and retain said piston when not in use in the desired position.

l0. In apneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, an extension integral with said piston, a stamper on said extension, and means for retaining said piston near the rear eX- tremity of said cylinder when not in use, whereby said extension is contained for the greater part of its length within its cylinder and thus prevented from injury.

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1l. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston V therein, a distribution-valve for said piston, means controlled by said piston for actuating said valve, and an auxiliary port open to live air after the movement of said valve has been e'lected by said piston, whereby an additional supply of live air is admittedtosaid valve to retain the latter in the desired position.

V12. In apneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, a dierential distribution-valve for Vsaid piston,-the smaller area of said valve being constantly exposed to Huid-pressure, and

the larger area of said valve being intermittently exposed to Huid-pressure, a valve-box for said valve and a port in said valve-box for admitting live-air pressure to the larger larea of said valve, after the latter has moved to admit live air to said piston,

13. lIn a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a valve for controlling ports common thereto and to a piston,said valve consisting of a hollow shell yor cylinder having its interior surface always 'a rea.

14., "In a pneumatic'tool, a cylinder, a valve for controlling ports common thereto and to a piston, said valve consisting o-f a hollow shell or cylinder having its interior surface always -open to Huid-pressure, said valve being lovcatedexteriorly to said piston in alinement therewith and adapted to move in the-same direction as said piston, a sectional valve-box,

and a passage controlled by said piston and `opened by the latter to admit motive fluid to the large pressure area of the valve to move the latter backwardly or away from said piston, said valve being moved forwardly by the constantly-acting pressure upon its smaller area, in combination with a port in said valvebox, opened by said valve after the latter has been'moved by pressure upon its larger differential area, whereby an auxiliary supply of live'air is admitted to the larger pressure area of said valve.

15. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein,a valve-box,a differential valve therein,a;port for admitting motive fiuid to move said valve in one direction by air-pressure upon its smaller differential area, a port for permitting said valve to be moved in the opposite vdirection by intermittent air-pressure upon its larger area, and an auxiliary port in said valve-box for admitting an auxiliary supply of live air to the larger area of said valve, after the latter has been initially moved by said intermittent pressure.

16. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, apiston therein, a sectional valve-box, a hollow differential distribution-valve therein, ports for permitting motive fluid to move said valve in one direction by constant live-air pressure upon its smaller differential area, ports for permitting said valve to be moved in the op'- posite direction by intermittent air-pressure upon its larger area, and an auxiliary port in said Valve-box for admitting an auxiliary supply of live air to the larger area of said valve after the latter has been initiaily moved by said intermittent pressure.

17. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, a sectional Valve-box, a valve-box cover inclosing said valve-box, and holding the latter against said cylinder, a Valve in said valve-box, handles attached to opposite sides of said cylinder, an inlet-passage extending through oneof said handles and discharging into a passage forming a continuation thereof and extending longitudinally of said cylinder, an inlet-passage in said box in communication with said last-mentioned passage, an exhaust-passage in said box and communicating with an exhaust-passage in said cylinder, extending longitudinally thereof, the latter exhaust-air passage communieating with the exhaust-passage in the exhaust-handle.

18. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, a distribution-valve, a port opened by saidpiston forpermitting exhaust from one side of said valve, a main exhaust-port in alinement with said first-mentioned valve, a ha-ndle attached to said cylinder, and having a grasping portion and an exhaust-passage communicating with said ports and leading through said handle.

19. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, a distribution-valve, a port opened by said piston for permitting exhaust from one side of said valve, a main exhaust-port in alinement with said first-mentioned valve, a handle attached to said cylinder, and having a grasping portion and an exhaust-passage communicating with said ports leading through said handle in combination with an inlet-handle attached to said cylinder, and means on said inlet-handle forcontrollin g the flow of the motive iiuid therethrough.

20. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston therein, and a clamping device within said cylinder adapted to engage said piston and retain the latter when not in use at or near the rear end of said cylinder.

21. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston therein, a recess in said cylinder at or near the rear end thereof, and a split ring 1ocated in said recess and adapted to engage said piston.

22. In a pneumatic rammer, the combination of a cylinder, having a recess in the bore thereof, and a split ring in said recess.

23. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a piston therein, means for controlling the movements of said piston, projections extending from said cylinder at an angleto the axis thereof and grasping handles extending rearwardly at an angle to said projections.

24. In a pneu matic ram mer, a cylinder, pro` jections therefrom having passages therein for the inlet and exhaust of the motive fluid IOO IOS

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respectively, and handles extending rearwardly from said projections on a line substantially parallel with the axis of said cylinder.

25. In a pneumatic rammer,a cylinder, projections therefrom having passages therein for the inlet and exhaust of the motive fluid respectively, and handles extending rearwardly from said projections on a line substantially parallel with the axis of said cylinder, one of said handles having an inletpassage for the motive fluid and a thumbactuated controlling device for said motive fluid.

26. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a distribution-valve therefor, means for effecting the movement of said valve, and an auxiliary port open to live motive fluid after the movement of said valve has been initially effected, whereby an additional supply of live motive fluid is admitted to said valve to retain the latter in the desired position.

27. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a differential distribution-valve therein, a port in said cylinder adapted to be uncovered by the piston, near the end of its rearward stroke, a passage leading therefrom to the large area of said valve, a port 37, passage 38 and port 34 in said cylinder, an exhaust-port 36 adapted to communicate with said port 34, by a groove in said valve and an auxiliary port open to live motive fiuid after the initial movement of said valve has been effected,whereby an additional supply of live motive fluid is admitted to retain said valve in the desired position.

28. ln a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, a distribution-valve therefor, an inlet-port 41 in said cylinder controlled by said valve, exhaust-ports 40 and 46 leading therefrom to a main exhaust, a port 34, passage 33 and port 37, whereby motive fluid is admitted to and exhausted from the forward end of said cylinder, ports 30 and 43, a passage 31 in communication therewith and a passage 32 leading from said passage 3l to the larger area of said distribution-valve, whereby the intermittent movement of the latter is effected, the smaller area of said distribution-valve being located in the rear portion of the valve-box therefor.

29. In a pneumatic tool, a cylinder, a piston therein, a distribution-valve therefor, an inlet-port 41 in said cylinder controlled by said valve, exhaust-ports 40 and 46 leading therefrom to a main exhaust, a port 34, passage 38 and port 37, whereby motive Huid is admitted to and exhausted from the forward end of said cylinder, ports 30 and 43, a passage 31 in communication therewith, a passage 32 leading from said passage 31 to the larger area of said distribution-valve,wherebythe intermittent movement of the latter is effected, the smaller area of said distribution-valve being located in the rear portion of the valve-box therefor, and an auxiliary port open to live motive fluid after the movement of said valve has been initially effected, whereby an additional' supply of said live motive fluid is admitted to said valve to retain the latter in the desired position.

30. In a pneumatic rammer, a cylinder, a distribution-valve therefor, said valve having differential pressure areas, means for directing constant live-fluid pressure upon the smaller of said pressure areas, means for intermittently admitting pressure to the larger area of said valve and an auxiliary port open to live motive fiuid after the movement of said valve has been initially effected by said intermittent pressure, whereby an auxiliary supply of live motive fluid is admitted to said valve to retain the latter in the desired position.

JULIUS KELLER.

Witnesses:

J oHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, E. HAYWARD FAIRBANKS. 

